The older sister of the man accused of killing his former girlfriend made her first appearance inSurrey Provincial Court Thursday morning, just a few days after charges of ‘accessory after the factto murder’ were announced against the 23-year-old.

Inderdeep Kaur Deo was arrested May 24 in connection with the August 2017 killing of 19-year-oldSurrey woman Bhavkiran Dhesi.

Dhesi’s body was found in a torched SUV at 12:20 a.m. Aug. 2, in the 18700-block of 24 Avenue inSouth Surrey.

Harjot Deo, 21, was arrested May 10 after landing at Vancouver International Airport from adomestic flight, Supt. Donna Richardson, officer in charge of the Integrated Homicide InvestigationTeam, said during a news conference earlier this month announcing the arrest. He is charged withsecond-degree murder.

His mother, Manjit Kaur Deo, 53, was arrested May 17 in the Lower Mainland and charged withaccessory after the fact; the charge against Inderdeep Deo was announced Monday (May 27).

At a news conference Monday, officials with the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team were askedif police suspect that the murder was related to an honour killing, however, IHIT spokesmam Cpl.Frank Jang said he “cannot get into specifics of the case or the motive, it’s all going to be laid out incourt.”

“But we have three members now of the same family charged and, again, the investigation is notover,” Jang said.

In court Thursday, Inderdeep Deo appeared briefly by video from Alouette Correctional Centre forWomen, to set a future court appearance. Dressed in dark-coloured prison clothing and with herlong hair tied back, she did not speak during the proceedings.

She is next due in court on June 6, again by video.

Both Harjot Deo and Manjit Deo are also scheduled to appear on that date.

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